Court finds Chenthamara guilty in double murder

Kochi: A court on Monday convicted Chenthamara, 61, for murdering his neighbour Sudhakaran and mother Lakshmi in Palakkad on January 27, 2025.
The Additional District and Sessions Court-IV, Palakkad will pronounce the sentence on July 15.
Chenthamara killed the two while on bail while serving double life imprisonment for killing Sudhakaran’s wife Sajitha in August, 31 2019, media reports said.
In October 2025, Chenthamara was convicted in the Sajitha murder case and sentenced to double life imprisonment, along with five years’ imprisonment for the destruction of evidence.
A total of 81 witnesses were examined during the trial in the fast-track court which completed the trial within four months in thesecondcase, media reports said.
Chenthamara was arrested under sections 103(I) and 126(II) of the BNS.
The fast-track trial began on February 26, 2026.
The crime took place on January 27, 2025, when Chenthamara hacked to death Sudhakaran 55 and his mother Lakshmi, 75 due to long-standing grudge.
The family accused the police of ignoring repeated complaints about threats from
Chenthamara.